Stand up and live longer: study

On your feet! A study found adults who sit for less than three hours a day live an extra two years, on average. Photo / Thinkstock

Sitting comfortably? You might not be after reading this.

Scientists claim you could extend your life by two years simply by standing up more.

They have discovered that adults who are seated less than three hours a day live an extra two years on average. Watching TV has a similar effect, with those who limit their daily viewing to less than two hours living nearly a year and a half longer, the researchers from Louisiana University in the US claim. The research, published online in the journal BMJ Open, said up to 27 per cent of all adult death could be caused by sitting down too much.

Experts have long blamed our sedentary lifestyles for rising levels of obesity, which has been linked to heart problems, diabetes and cancer.